The Burnaby Velodrome Club will be hosting the first major track race in North America next weekend at the only indoor velodrome in the western hemisphere. Sunday Jan 4th at midnight is the last day to avoid late fees for on-line registration at www.karelo.com for this three day meet dubbed "Mass Start Madness".

The event to be held on the 200m, 47 degree banked oval in Burnaby will feature Canadian Olympic hopefuls Mandy Poitras and Lori-Ann Muenzer, as well as Canadian Champions: Ryan MacKenzie, Steen Madsen, Marsh Cooper, Erin Carter, Naomi Cooper, Yannik Morin, Scott Crump and others as well as US National Team riders Kenny Williams, Tyler Farrar, Jennie Reed and Josh Kerkhoff. Appearances are also expected from Andreas Hestler and Kirk O'Bee.

The format will include feature races each day for the three categories ( A, B, and C) including Elimination, Scratch and Points Races as well as Sprint and Keirin tournaments and supporting mass start events. A tentative schedule can be found at www.burnabyvelodrome.ca.

Also included on the program will be a series of under 17 kids races. These will be held on Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday. Fee or the U-17 kids races is $10 per event or $20 for all events. Run in conjunction with the Jan 9-11 race and the kids races will be a Learn to Race clinic on Wed Jan 7 at 8 PM. This clinic is required for all new and novice track racers to compete on the weekend races. Clinic fee is $25. There will be no late fee charged to any clinic participants for the weekend or kids races and those racers are asked to register in person on the day of the event. For more info email learntoride@burnabyvelodrome.ca.

CCA President Report

Note: This report was sent to us before Christmas but, due to the problems we have been having with our mail server, it did not arrive until today.

Happy Holiday Season to all Cyclists!As 2003 draws to a close, it's time for some reflection on the past year. This year, my first as CCA president, was both challenging yet satisfying. Please take the time to read my annual report, which is attached. This report was circulated at the AGM and has been posted on the CCA website for a couple of weeks; now in both official languages. But since I would like to communicate better I thought it would be useful to post it more widely. The report was written prior to the AGM, so I will add some remarks about the weekend here.

CCA Annual General Meeting RemarksThe AGM weekend was a very positive and productive set of meetings and celebrations, as anyone who attended would attest to. We held the third Board meeting of the year, the first ever Inter-Provincial Council (IPC) and Athlete Council meetings, as well as the Annual General Meeting. While the meetings did review the past, I was most impressed with the primary focus on looking forward. Watch for more detailed reports to follow.

The delegates had the opportunity to attend the Pacific Sport Center Gala banquet where we had the chance to honor three of the CCA award winners: Michael Barry - the President's trophy for best performance of the year, Samantha Cools - the Russ Coupland trophy for most promising junior rider, and Brian Jolly and Pierre Hutsebaut - a special presentation for leadership and contribution to the success of the 2003 Hamilton Worlds. The rest of the volunteer recognition awards were presented at the AGM.

The meetings were planned to coincide with the PacSport Gala and an Olympic Team meeting. This gave delegates the chance to meet with many of our National Team and National Training Center athletes and I was most impressed with their attitude and willingness to speak their mind. The speeches, like Alison's detailed review of her season, really help give me renewed inspiration to work harder to make the CCA better.

I was also impressed by the leadership shown by our athletes in three ways. First, our elite athletes show that they care deeply about the development of cycling by giving back of their time to programs like Sprockids. Secondly, they have shown a commitment to getting involved in the governance of the CCA by learning about our organization and by participating in the meetings. And thirdly, I was struck by the team spirit and caring for each other demonstrated. This leadership proves to me that the CCA will be in good hands in the years to come.

The AGM closed with the election of new board and committee members. We had an impressive slate of candidates, especially for the board. All five board of director candidates, Lesley Tomlinson and Tony de Jong, who were elected, along with Aaron Hershoff, Luc Bujold, and Linda Jackson were all very qualified and experienced and all would have fit in well. The three committee chairs, who were all elected by acclamation (Chris Westwood, Lister Farrar, and Wayne Pomario,) join Louis Barbeau to form an experienced team of leaders for our programs.

Finally, I would like to take this chance to thank all of the retiring board and committee members. First, Paul Carter has served ten years in various positions at the CCA, starting our as Bicycle Newfoundland and Labrador president, and later as a member of the Executive, as VP Administration, and lastly on the new Board. Thank you Paul for all of your dedication and wisdom. Yvan Waddell though he had retired last year as Chair of the High Performance committee but filled in part way through the season. Thanks again, Yvan, for your many years leading the HPC. Two other committee members, Dave Benson and Adam Ruppell, were unsuccessful in gaining re-election. Thanks to both of you for serving on committees last year.

Closing Remarks/Best Wishes for 2004!Please feel free to email me at bkinash@accesscomm.ca or call or write if you have any concerns or suggestions. While I may direct your issues to the appropriate staff or committee, I do appreciate hearing directly from our membership. The only thing I would ask is that you attack issues, not people, and try to be constructive.

In closing, I would like to thank everyone who helped with the sport of cycling in Canada in 2003, from the CCA staff, board and committee volunteers, provincial association and club volunteers, to organizers, sponsors, officials, coaches, and even family, friends, and fans. Also hearty congratulations to all of the athletes, both elite and developmental, in all age categories, and across all disciplines! Keep up the good work and all the best to everyone in 2004.

Bill KinashCCA President

Blizzard Bike Club - Fort St John, B.C.Courtesy Pat Ferris

January 1, 2004

Six riders of the Blizzard Bike Club started out 2004 with its' annual New Years Day Ride under sunny but chilly -25 degree temperatures. Riders Roger St. Jean, Gord Harris, Tessa Bilodeau and the Ferris Boys (Stephen, Pat and David) did the one-kilometer ride. Some even did it, again, after the official ride was over! Photo

The New Years Day Ride was started back in 1984 by Jim Peltier and Tim Ferris. It was a 'formal' event, back then, with tweed coats, ties and road bikes mandatory.

This year's edition was shorter than last years ride. In 2003 eleven riders went all the way to Charlie Lake under very nice conditions.

Some years have been bitterly cold. The late 80's had a very short ride done in -39 C. conditions. Others have not been quite so cold but were also short.

1985 was so sunny and warm the riders went out for a 40-kilometer ride. The weather was glorious.

The Blizzards will go back to hibernation with their indoor training session and wait for the spring to arrive.